Steering-wheel pivot for automobiles.



1510. 873,147. Y PATENTED DEC. 10-, 1907.

H. SFBALDWIN. STEERING WHEEL' PIVOT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

AYPLIOLTIOKI'ILED KKK. 25, 19.04.

2 sums-31mm: 1.

witnesses InOentoP Henry 8. Baldwin 1H5 NORRIS PETERS 50.. wAsnmcmrv, n.c.

P N T. W D L A B S E STEERING WHEEL PIVOT PO R AUTOMOBILES.

' APiLIOATION FILED MAR. 25, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

fh ow? a 3 0 T v v/ a witnesses UNITED ST ATES PATENT OFFICE. HENRY S.BALDWIN, OF L YNN, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY,A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

STEERING-WHEEL PIVOT FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 10, 1907.

Application filed March 25 1904:- Serial No. 199.930.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY S. BALDWIN, a citizen of theUnited States,residing at Lynn, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Steering-Wheel Pivots for Automobiles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobiles, and its object is to improve thepivots of the steering-wheels, especially those of the socalled Le Moinetype. In this construction, the wheel-axle and the pivot are an L-shapedright pivot which is j ournaled in a suitable bearing in the end of thestationary axle of the vehicle. The weight of the vehicle is supportedby an annular horizontal ball hearing for which a shoulder is providednear the lower end of the pivot. The upper end of the pivot is steadiedand centered bya stout steel pin secured to the top of the axlebear ingand extending downward into a socket in the upper end of the pivot. Inorder to prevent the wheel and its pivot from dropping out of thebearing when the axle is raised or when for any other reason a steeringwheel is deprived of the support of the roadway, it has been proposed touse clamps or bolts passing through the axle. This construction seemsobjectionable to me and I have therefore devised the improvedpivot-holding or retaining device which forms the subject of the presentapplication. The upper endof the pivot is extended above the bearing andis provided with a circumferential groove in which is located a retainerengaging'both with the pivot and the upper end of the bearing. Undernormal conditions, this retainer is idle, but in case the wheel isaccidentally held off the ground, the retainer locks the pivot fromdropping out of the bearing.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is an end elevation of asteering-wheel pivot bearing, partly broken away to show my improvedretaining device, and Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of thewheel-axle, pivot and bearing. 7

The wheel 1 may be of any desired construction. Its hub 2 is mounted ona short axle 3 which is integral with the upright pivot 4. Thestationary axle 5 has a long upright bearing 6 in which the pivot isjournaled. An arm 7 rigidly secured to the depending lower end of thepivot enables the pivot to be oscillated to turn the Wheel and steer thevehicle.

The main or step bearing which supports the weight of the vehicle isformed by a series of balls 8 received between an annular groovedshoulder 9 near the lower end of the pivot'and a corresponding annulargroove in the lower end of the bearing 6. At the upper end of saidbearing is a shoulder 10, on which is snugly fitted a cap 11 having. acentral opening in line with the axis of the pivot. A strong steelcentering-pin 12 is firmly held in said opening and depends into asocket 13 in forging, the stem of the L forming an upsage ldruns downthrough the pin, a sidepassage 15 permitting the escape of oil to theupper end of the pivot and thence down to the step'bearing. A hood 16 issecured on the bearing 6 concentric with the cap 11, and

is provided with a screw-plug 17 for closing the upper end ofv the oilpass'age 14.

The upper end of the pivot projects above the bearing 6, and is providedwith a circumferential groove. Preferably cooperating with this is acountersink in the upper end of the bearing, the two forming an annularseat or race for a retainer or pivotlocking device. This is preferably aseries of steel balls 18, which areiheld in the race by the internalsurface 19 of the annulus or cap 11. As this surface prevents the ballsfrom moving ra dially away from the pivot, it is evident that they willcatch the overhanging lip 20 on the pivot and prevent the pivot fromdropping out of the bearing in case the'wheel is left unsupported. Undernormal conditions, however, the balls rest idly in their race.

In case it is desired to take out the pivot, the hood is unscrewed, thecap lifted off, and the balls removed from the race; which leaves thepivot free to slip down out of the bearing. Y

While I have described my pivot-lock as a series of balls, yet it isevident that this idea is capable of many variations; the essentialthing being one or more removable locking pieces engaging both with thepivot and with the bearing, and affording no obstruction to the flow ofoil to the step-bearing. Without suggesting, therefore, any of theseveral modifications of my invention, I Wish it to be understood thatwhile, in accordance with the patent statutes, I have described andillustrated the best mode of carrying out my I pivot, of an uprightbearing'therefor provided with a centering pin entering the upper end ofsaid pivot, a loose retainer located below the upper end of the pivotfor preventing it from dropping out of said bearing,

and a removable member on said bearing for holding said retainer inplace.

3. The combination with a steering-wheel pivot, having a groove in itscylindrical sur face, of an upright bearing for said pivot, a freelyrotatable retainer supported by said bearing and engaging with saidgroove, and a removable member engaging the periphery of said bearingfor holding said retainer in place. 4. The combination with asteering-wheel pivot, having a circumferential groove in its cylindricalsurface, of an upright bearing for said pivot, one or more looseretainers engaging the groove, said retainers being supported by thebearing and rotatable about an axis other than the axis of the pivot,and a removable member on said bearing for holding said retainer inplace.

5. The combination with a steering-wheel pivot having a circumferentialgroove, of an upright bearing for said pivot having a correspondinggroove, a plurality of balls interlocking in the grooves to preventaxial movement between the pivot and the bearing, and a removable cap onsaid bearing for retaining the balls in the grooves.

6. The combination with a steering-wheel pivot, having a circumferentialgroove, of. an upright bearing for said pivot whose upper end isadjacent to said groove, one or more loose retainers resting on the endof said bearing and engaging. with said groove, and means for holdingsaid retainers in operative position.

7. The combination with a steering-wheel pivot, having acircumferential-groove, of an upright bearing for said pivot, whoseupper end is adjacent to said groove, a series of balls resting on theend of said bearing and engaging with said groove, and removable meanson said bearin for preventing any radial movement of sald balls.

8. The combination with a steering wheel pivot, having a circumferentialgroove, of an upright bearing for said pivot whose upper end is adjacentto said groove, a series of balls resting on the end of said bearing andenga ing with said groove, and a removable annu ar member on saidbearing having its inner surface close to said balls.

.9. The combination with a steering-wheel pivot, having a central socketand a circumferential groove, of an upright bearing for said pivot, aseries of balls resting on said bearing and engaging with said groove, acentering-pin fitting said socket, and a cap on the upper end of saidbearing supporting said pin and keeping said balls in engagement withsaid groove.

10. The combination of a steering-wheel pivot, a bearing therefor, anintegral overhanging portion on the pivot, retaining balls.

supported by the bearing which are a apted to engage with the undersurface of said overhanging portion for holding the pivot in thebearing, and a removable annular member on said bearing for holding saidretaining means against movement away from said pivot.

11. The combination with a steeringwheel pivot, a bearing therefor, anintegral over-hanging portionon the pivot, a retaining device supportedby the bearing and engaging beneath said over-hanging portion, a capfor. holding said retaining device in place, a hood secured to saidbearing member and surrounding said cap, and means on said hood forholding said cap in operative'position. 3

12. The combination with a steeringwheel pivot, a bearing therefor, anintegral over-hanging portion on the pivot, a retaining device supportedby the bearing and engaging under said over hanging portion, a caparranged to hold said retaining devices against movement away from thepivot, a centering pin extending through said cap and into said pivot,and a hood secured to said bearing and surrounding said cap andcentering pin to hold them in position.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 22nd day of March,1904.

HENRY S. BALDWIN. Witnesses:

DUGALD MoK. McKILLoP, JOHN A. MOMANUS.

